Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Year in Rhyme

It's the week next to Christmas, time to sit back and reflect
On all that has happened till now and what's left
For if Nineteen was a movie it's trailer would be long
Thrills, spills and chills, things right and things wrong

On these shores daily, more sturm and more drang
As Dems and Repubs further hardened their gangs
Trade, guns, immigration, neither side could be swayed
Lots of talk but no listening, whatever the play

In the battle to lead, the president scorching the ground
Throwing insults and tweets, never once backing down
As to who takes him on, will it be Bernie? Mayor Pete?
Elizabeth, Joe or Amy? Who will be the one to bring heat?

The year ends with impeachment, just the third time they say
A Senate trial next year will let all have their say
Yet when all is done, odds are nothing will have changed
We'll be back where we were, just tired and deranged

Across the Atlantic, the story's the same
In Britain with Brexit their situation's untamed
Teresa stepped down, Boris elbowed on in
Now he has a new mandate, we'll see how it spins

Elsewhere the world churned here and there
A whisper in Hong Kong turned into a blare
Yellow vests smothered France, a challenge to Macron
Two tourist destinations, now that appeal is far gone

Assange was arrested, Notre Dame burned like a twig
Bibi was indicted, and Modi won big
Venezuela, Brazil, just two of the spots
Where protests and politics made everything hot

But it wasn't just politics that made all the news
Greta showed that a kid could have very grownup views
Boeing grounded the MAX, Elon's pickup looks pretty sweet
College admissions were bought on the cheat

The weather made news, but it was way more than rain
The swings seemed more violent, it just can't be tamed
In Japan and in India the heat was extreme
In the Bahamas Dorian brought misery not seen

Winners in games with balls big and small,
The Final Four was Virginia, Nats were classic in the fall
Tiger reclaimed the Masters, Toronto turned Golden to tin
Gronk helped Tom take another, Novak beat Roger to win

In eyeballs per contest, more than ever before
We all found a screen to watch US women soar
The queens of the pitch, with Megan on top
Won World Cup honors, they couldn't be stopped

Another Meghan and Prince Harry gave Archie his day
He's sixth after Charles if the Queen ever gives way
But as toddlers to note, he's just one of the rest
A Mandalorian sidekick, Baby Yoda claims best

As always we've lost some at the top of their game
They stood above others, we all knew their fame
Goodbye Toni Morrison, Tim Conway as well
Doris Day, Carol Spinney, Karl Lagerfeld

And that's just a few happenings, there much more to say
It was a year filled with history that was made every day
We could start now to recite, but just too much to list
No matter how long the tally there would be so much we missed

So let's just leave it at that, and let say to you here
Many thanks for reading this space through the year
Merry, Happy, Joyous, may your life have much glee
Best wishes for the holiday, and a happy '20.

-END-

Marc Wollin of Bedford wishes all a safe holiday. His column appears regularly in The Record-Review, The Scarsdale Inquirer and online at http://www.glancingaskance.blogspot.com/, as well as via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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